We bought a house already supplied with laying hens. Inside their coop was one of these boxes. The thing looks like it might be near a decade old from two owners ago and has some wear and tear, but it's still in great working condition.
We know others who are battling chickens eating their own eggs. And once hens get a taste for them, it's hard to stop them. With this, we've noticed a pecked hole on the occasional egg. They try for whatever reason while it's probably stuck at their feet, but I guess it rolls away before they can penetrate the membrane and get to the good stuff. It doesn't happen again for another month or two.
The problem is that one of these girls is on the older side. I've noticed it takes her a little longer to get her egg out, but she doesn't want the others in the box with her while she's working the egg through. It's the largest box, but the only box, and the community laying style allows her to "defend" one end to the other. It creates a bit of a traffic jam.
We know others who are battling chickens eating their own eggs. And once hens get a taste for them, it's hard to stop them. With this, we've noticed a pecked hole on the occasional egg. They try for whatever reason while it's probably stuck at their feet, but I guess it rolls away before they can penetrate the membrane and get to the good stuff. It doesn't happen again for another month or two.
The problem is that one of these girls is on the older side. I've noticed it takes her a little longer to get her egg out, but she doesn't want the others in the box with her while she's working the egg through. It's the largest box, but the only box, and the community laying style allows her to "defend" one end to the other. It creates a bit of a traffic jam.